The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last night met with serving and newly-elected lawmakers ahead of the inauguration of members of the 9th National Assembly.

The meeting came barely 24 hours after the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted Senator Ahmed Lawan, and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the next Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

The meeting, which was held behind closed-doors at the Lagos/Osun Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, had in attendance all the serving and newly-elected lawmakers that are members of the PDP.

The meeting came barely 24 hours after the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted Senator Ahmed Lawan, and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the next Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively.

The meeting, which was held behind closed-doors at the Lagos/Osun Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, had in attendance all the serving and newly-elected lawmakers that are members of the PDP.


The meeting had in attendance the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus; Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki; Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekeweremadu; Senate Minority leader, Abiodun Olujimi; Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Philip Aduda, among others.

Speaking before the meeting went into a closed-door session, the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, urged members of the 9th senate to ensure that the party retains the leadership.

“We have come to share ideas on how to keep the party alive. We are very proud of the members of the National Assembly; you are the hope of our party. I hope you will keep hope alive. We have no doubt that what is before us, we are going to surmount it. PDP should lead the Senate,” he said.

It is believed that the meeting would afford the main opposition party an opportunity to strategise in order for the party to retain important leadership positions in the National Assembly.

https://dailypost.ng/2019/04/18/9th-nass-leadership-pdp-leaders-meet-serving-incoming-lawmakers-plot-apcs-defeat/

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Our correspondent reports that Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo who presided over last week’s FEC was absent.

The meeting, our correspondent reports, started with the arrival of the president to the council chamber of the villa by 10:59am.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and 21 ministers were in attendance.

At the end of the meeting, State House Correspondents would be briefed on the outcome of the meeting by ministers.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/osinbajo-absent-as-buhari-presides-over-fec-meeting.html

Rufus Akeju, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State, is embroiled in a case of assault, battery and molestation of a gatekeeper simply identified as George Ala.

Akeju, who heads the INEC office in Ondo State, was accused of punching Ala, consequently removing his tooth.

SaharaReporters gathered that Ala, a civil servant, was recently posted to man security at the Igbatoro residential quarters of INEC in Akure.

An insider who confirmed the case to our correspondent said Akeju (pictured below) beat the gatekeeper to a pulp before removing his tooth with his fist.

The insider, who pleaded not to be named, said: "The Ondo REC removed the tooth of the gatekeeper. This was after he had assaulted the man severely by also puching him in the face. He turned himself into a Lord and Mike Tyson by punching the poor gatekeeper. Just imagine, the character of such man who called himself the REC in Ondo State, and the offence of this gatekeeper was that he could not turn on the electrical generating set on time," he said.

"This whole issue started when electricity supply was interrupted, so the gatekeeper was instructed to put on the Perkins Generating plant. Unfortunaely, the security man had the problem of starting the engine, and while attempting to find the solution, Akeju was already at his back and with provocation, he hit him in the face and blood gushed out. The gatekeeper lost a tooth, and what was painful was that Akeju didn't allow him seek medical attention throughtout that night, yet he was in serious pain.

"Also, Akeju arrested the gatekeeper after acusing him of insurbodination. I don't know if you have engaged with Akeju before; he calls himself a former ambassador but he is very wicked and treats many of his staff like animals and slaves.

"If you have ever come across him, you would see all these talismanic rings on his fingers; he slaps, beats, punches and molests the staff of the commission at the Akure office with these rings."

However, family sources very close to Ala told SaharaReporters that he had already been treated, hence he was unwilling to speak about the matter.

"We have take care of him but i just know he is not willing to talk on the issue becuase of his job," one said.

Some staff of the commission told SaharaReporters that they had been suffering in silence.

"See, it true that the incident happened, but we cannot talk about it for fear of losing our jobs," an INEC staff member said.

"This REC is a complete disaster and the worst person ever posted to the INEC office in Akure. He assualts us virtually every day by beating and telling us to kneel down like primary or secondary school students. He is an emperor and no one can dare question his authority in the office.

"It is journalists like you who can help us out of this suffering in silence. The man cannot deny that he is not molesting his staff here at the INEC office in Akure; and if he does, we are ready to open the books for him so far our jobs will still be guaranteed."

When SaharaReporters contacted Akeju on phone, he said: "Well, I don't understand what you are saying and I believe this is still a rumour becuase I did not assault or brutalise anyone. So, I will advise you come over to my office to seek further talks and investigation, or go and write what ever you like."

Ondo REC Rufus Akeju Removes Gatekeeper's Tooth By Punching Him In The Face


http://saharareporters.com/2019/04/16/ondo-rec-rufus-akeju-removes-gatekeepers-tooth-punching-him-face

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo State on Monday described the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu as a serial betrayal, dictator and failed politician.

The party stated this while reacting to the Minister’s recent remarks that APC leaders at the national level were forced to accept those who were not qualified as executive members.

Shittu, while featuring in a live radio programme on Saturday also accused Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state of foisting the current executives of the party in the state on the party and the people.

But, the party in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Dr. AbdulAzeez Olatunde, insisted that Shittu is no doubt “a serial betrayal, who betrayed the then Ifedapo LG State Constituency and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) who gave him lifetime opportunity”.

APC in the statement added that the Unity Forum, a breakaway faction of APC led by Shittu and those it described as his co-travellers could not win a state parliamentary seat despite leaving the APC with two senators, six federal House of Representative members and eight members of the state House of Assembly, an indication of their over-bloated self popularity.

Olatunde in the statement made available to DAILY POST on Monday said, “What an interesting ‘vomit’ coming out of a serial betrayal, who betrayed the then Ifedapo LG State Constituency and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) who gave him life time opportunity, freshly coming out of School, when his colleagues were thinking of National Service before beginning to apply for job, to go and represent them as Member of Oyo State House of Assembly in 1979 to 1983.

“He thereafter ditched UPN in 1983 general election to work for the emergence of NPN Government of Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo in 1983, for lesser portfolio of state commissioner, a reminiscence of 2019 that he, Barr. Adebayo Shittu boasted that he would lead his co-travellers in the Unity Forum to work against the Party, APC that he is benefitting as a serving Minister.

“Of course, we are not surprised about Barr. Shittu behaviour because he has only revised his 40 years old betrayal tactics or antics

“Barrister Adebayo Shittu’s Unity Forum which the whole world knew metamorphosed to Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) is again claiming that they never left APC, because with their four-fold figures of the APC as their membership strength, yet they found it difficult to win just one state parliamentary seat.

“They left APC with two Senators, Six federal house of representative members and eight state parliamentarians but after 2019 general elections, they ended up with nothing, Unity Forum indeed has four fold strength of Gov Ajimobi led APC.

“Yoruba adage comes in handy, which translate thus that, a farmer who planted 100 heaps of yam but lied to have planted 200, after harvesting the real and authentic 100 will certainly suffer from the 100 unplanted lies of heaps as Barr. Shittu and his co-travellers were brought down from their fantasy Island after the 2019 general elections.

“That APC lost the gubernatorial election is an ill-wind that does not profit anyone but the whole world has known the ‘leper-like’ parasites pretentious characters who have overvalued their public image that were using APC to embellish themselves.

“Who should have been referred to as a failed politician than Barr. Shittu who had failed to win any election since 40 years ago that was used to sample-test his integrity.

“Again, who is a dictator than Barr. Shittu who find it difficult to maintain backroom staffs. Can Barr. Shittu tell the whole world why he can’t pay the peanuts he promised Victor Oluwadamilare, Sikiru Olubodun, Sheikh and others?

“It is hoped that Barr. Shittu would be so honourable to behave like former Minister Kemi Adeosun and keep his peace but if he wouldn’t, we would be ready for him as long as he chooses not to behave as expected of his status.”


https://dailypost.ng/2019/04/16/serial-betrayal-dictator-failed-politician-apc-fires-back-buharis-minister-shittu/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has accused PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, of manufacturing results of the last presidential election to prove his case at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.

The electoral umpire filed its response on Thursday at the tribunal in Abuja. It distanced itself from an electronic sheet that purportedly contained the genuine results of the presidential election.

Mr Abubakar’s legal team submitted the sheet at the tribunal last month, contending it was obtained from an internal compilation of results on INEC’s Internet server.

The team, amongst other submissions, said Mr Abubakar won by more than six million votes, but his victory was allegedly suppressed by the commission in favour of incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Abubakar was derided by supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress after the claim became public. Mr Buhari’s campaign also wrote to the police and the State Security Service to launch a criminal investigation against Mr Abubakar. It accused him of maliciously accessing INEC’s files.

INEC’s response

The umpire said it, “does not share information with such an unclassified entity and any information purportedly derived therefrom which does not accord with the result as declared by INEC is not authentic but rather was invented for the purpose” of the tribunal, according to excerpts of the filings seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

In the 291-page response, INEC said it did not transmit results via electronic channels, but used manual collation as stipulated by law. It, however, did not say whether it collated results from across the country and compiled them on an Internet-enabled computer.

INEC specifically denies the existence of electronic transmission of results and it is unknown to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended),” it said.
Mr Buhari was declared winner of the polls with about 3.9 million votes. He will be sworn in for a second term on May 29.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/325228-2019-election-atikus-server-results-fake-inec.html

There is confusion in the Oyo State government following the loss of a sum of N357million while it was being conveyed to some banks in the Ibadan, capital of the state, SaharaReporters can report.

The money was moved out of the Oluyole residence of Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his wife Florence, but those conveying the money had not reached any of their destinations when they were attacked by unknown gunmen, who made away with the money.

SaharaReporters understands that the man who drove the vehicle, an old man known as ‘Baba Obe’, is a trusted hand, as he has been around the Ajimobi family for decades. In fact, he drove Ajimobi’s father, who was once a member of the Old Western Region House of Assembly, for a long time in his lifetime. These days, he drives Ajimobi's last born.

“He was just drafted in to do this,” said a source familiar with the occurrence.

“The money was moved out in a Toyota Hiace bus. They were going to deposit some of it in Access Bank and the other in Heritage Bank, but they were attacked on Ring Road, just before the roundabout where a road leads to Iyaganku and the other to Apata. Everything happened between 7:20am and 7:35am.”

SaharaReporters understands that the man detailed to oversee the movement of the money, simply identified as ‘Semiu’, was wounded during the attack, his head hit with a gun; and that the money was passed on to her by Damola, a personal assistant to the Governor’s wife who is also the daughter of Segun Bolarinwa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security.

Semiu has since been arrested, especially as the Oyo government hierarchy believe that only an insider could have known that the money was being moved out.

When SaharaReporters contacted Olugbenga Fadeyi, spokesman of the Police in Oyo State, to ask if he was aware of any robbery incident at Ring Road, he said he wasn’t. But he asked for an hour to find out. One hour later, Fadeyi confirmed that no such official report had been made.

“It is possible that there was a robbery but if no official report was made, we won’t know,” he said.

The Oyo State government has been in the news lately for unpleasant reasons relating to shady movement of funds.

In March, part of over N1billion moved out of the State House by Ajimobi between the night of Friday 22 and Saturday 23 was confirmed missing.

Two days later, SaharaReporters reported that Ajimobi suspended Niyi Ajao, his Special Adviser on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), without pay for mismanaging election campaign funds.

Only last week, Godwin Obode, former Special Assistant on Youth and Student Matters to Ajimobi, was arrested by men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) following his refusal to return the N18.5million he received from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State for the general election but did not spend.

http://saharareporters.com/2019/04/12/exclusive-gunmen-attack-ajimobi%E2%80%99s-boys-while-moving-n357m-out-his-residence

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), paid $30,000 to Fein & DelValle PLLC, a US firm, TheCable can report.

The PDP presidential candidate sought the services of the company in his bid to unseat President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Centre for Responsive Politics (CRP) had reported how Atiku hired Bruce Fein, a former official of the US justice department, and his firm Fein & DelValle PLLC, in March.

In its terms and conditions for representation, Fein & DelValle PLLC had said it would establish and operate a situation room located in its capitol hill offices in the US and enlist the services of Lloyd Ukwu, a Nigerian barrister and trusted confidant of Atiku, to assist in the operation of the situation room.

The firm also proposed to execute strategies to secure the US endorsement of Atiku’s efforts to defeat what it called “flagrant violence and irregularities orchestrated” by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Buhari to compromise the presidential election.

Twenty-four hours after the report was published, Atiku denied paying money to US consultants in his bid to dislodge Buhari, his main rival in the February 23 election.

In a statement issued on his behalf by Paul Ibe, his media aide, the former vice-president, described the reports that he paid $30,000 as “a total fabrication”.

He blamed it on the APC which he said had resorted to using “fake news to divert public attention from the historic electoral heist they have committed against Nigerians”.

“Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar dismisses as total fabrication the latest allegation instigated by the Buhari campaign that he spent $30,000 to hire a US lobby group to persuade the US Congress to stop the inauguration of President Buhari,” the statement read.

“The APC are behaving nervously like a thief living under the fear of being exposed and shamed. No amount of diversionary propaganda and fake news campaign by APC will stop Atiku Abubakar from continuing the court action he started to reclaim the stolen mandate.”

But documents seen by TheCable showed that Atiku paid the money to the firm two days after signing a 90-day contract (April 1,2019, to July 1, 2019). He signed the contract on March 24 and paid the money on March 26.

The amount was budgeted for costs and expenses for the 90-day period. In addition, the agreement was for Atiku to separately pay all pre-approved international travels, business class.

According to a document received by the United States’ department of justice foreign agents’ registration act (FARA), with registration number 6654, on April 2, Fein & DelValle, PLLC, registered as a foreign agent for Atiku and the PDP on March 20.

FARA is a disclosure statute that requires persons acting as agents of foreign principals in a political or quasi-political capacity to make periodic public disclosure of their relationship with the foreign principal, as well as activities, receipts and disbursements in support of those activities.

The firm said it received $30,000 from Atiku on March 26, which was confirmed in item 9(a) under the financial information clause of the registration statement.

In item 9(b), the firm made it clear that it did not receive any other thing of value other than money from Atiku.

The lobbyist firm, a registered and active corporate law firm in the US, stated that the agreement with Atiku is in a formal written document.

Atiku’s spokesman had not responded to inquiries from TheCable as of the time this report was filed.

https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-documents-show-atiku-paid-30000-to-us-firm/amp

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has dissociated himself from campaign poster that was seen in Abuja and its environs.

DAILY POST had reported sighting fresh posters of Atiku Abubakar in certain streets of Abuja.

The posters, which also bore ‘Pukka’ a Hindi word which literally means ‘Genuine’ emerged after a report on how Atiku allegedly enlisted the assistance of two cerebral lawyers in Washington DC, United States of America to lobby the American government for recognition as the winner of the last presidential election.

Many of the posters were seen in the Central Business District within the Abuja city center.

Atiku reacting in a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, dissociated himself from the posters, adding that he is focused on retrieving his stolen mandate.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to posters of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election being circulated in Abuja.

“We disassociate the former Vice President of Nigeria from the said posters in circulation.

“The campaign season is over. The tainted electoral victory by the incumbent is being challenged in court.

“We refuse to be distracted, which is exactly the objective of our opponents but to remain focused on diligently pursuing our election petition with a view to retrieving the stolen mandate.”

https://dailypost.ng/2019/04/10/atiku-reacts-fresh-posters-abuja/

The presidency has yet to confirm the receipt of a letter of resignation by the suspended Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The News Agency of Nigeria reliably gathered that Onnoghen’s resignation letter was submitted to the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, by some Justices of the apex court.

NAN, however, learnt that the Justices who submitted the letter arrived at the presidential villa a few minutes after President Muhammadu Buhari had left Abuja for Jordan to participate in the World Economic Forum on Thursday.

A presidency source confirmed to NAN that President Buhari had, before his departure, received the National Judicial Council’s recommendations on the petition written against Onnoghen and the acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad.

The report was submitted to the president by his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, who was accompanied by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, at about 2:20 p.m.

The Director, Information, NJC, Mr Soji Oye, on Wednesday in a statement, confirmed that the council had sent its report to President Buhari after the conclusion of its investigation into the petitions against Onnoghen and the acting CJN.

Efforts to speak to presidential spokesmen, Mr Femi Adesina and Mallam Garba Shehu, on the matter, proved abortive as the duo were outside the country on official and private engagements.

NAN reports that Adesina is currently on President Buhari’s entourage to Jordan while Shehu is in Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage.

(NAN)

https://punchng.com/presidency-keeps-mum-over-onnoghens-resignation/

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and a former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on Friday had a private meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

There was, however, no interview after the duo emerged from the meeting.

Blair served as Prime Minister of the UK from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007.
He was Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997.

The former UK prime minister runs among other foundations, the Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative, a nonprofit initiative that works to support effective governance in Africa. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/osinbajo-tony-blair-meet-at-aso-villa.html

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Senators Dino Melaye and Ben Murray-Bruce to immediately honour the invitation for questioning over their roles in the October 5, 2018 street procession staged in Abuja by the Peoples Democratic Party.

The three senators were part of the PDP leaders who led the protest which held some days after last year’s governorship election in Osun State was declared to have been won by the All Progressives Congress.


Alleging that the security agencies, including the Police, colluded with the APC to rig the earlier governorship election in Ekiti State and the one later held in Osun, the senators had led a protest to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office in Abuja, demanding a free and fair election in 2019; and were on their way to the Force Headquarters when policemen dispersed them with teargas.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Okon Abang dismissed the fundamental human rights enforcement suit filed by Saraki, Melaye and Murray-Bruce who had been invited by the Police to answer questions in relation to the protest.

The senators had sought the court’s order nullifying the October 6 and 8, 2018 letters of invitation by the Police.

They had also, in their suit filed on October 8, 2018, claimed that the Police invitation amounted to harassment, intimidation and an attempt by the Police to detain them unlawfully.

They prayed for, among others in the suit, the court’s declaration that the act of the Police dispersing their procession using tear gas was a violation of their various rights, and sought an order awarding them N500m as “exemplary and pecuniary damages.”

Justice Abang, in his judgment on Thursday, upheld the case made out by the Police by dismissing the applicants’ suit for lacking in merit and awarding the cost of N50,000 against the three applicants.

He held that a mere invitation by the Police, which are empowered by Section 4 of the Police Act to detect and investigate crimes, could never amount to harassment or intimidation.

Abang further held that the Police, having alleged in their response to the suit that the PDP procession was dispersed following the protesters’ riotous and criminal conduct, the law enforcement agency had the power to invite suspects for questioning.

He ruled that the Police invitation extended to them remained valid and subsisting, adding that it was the outcome of their honouring the invitation that would determine if their rights had been violated.

Abang ruled, “The court cannot restrain the Police from carrying out their statutory function; and in this case, they have acted within the provision of Section 4 of the Police Act.

“They issued the letters dated October 6 and 8 inviting the applicants for questioning over their roles in the procession of the Peoples Democratic Party that held on October 5, 2018. The Police acted in public and national interests.

“The letters of invitation dated October 6 and 8, 2018 remain valid and subsisting. The applicants shall respond and report to the Police without fail.

“It is the outcome of the applicants’ honouring the invitation that would determine if their rights have been violated; certainly not before honouring the invitation.”

https://punchng.com/osun-gov-polls-result-protest-court-orders-saraki-melaye-murray-bruce-to-honour-police-invitation/

If President Muhammadu Buhari goes by the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC), Walter Onnoghen, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) could get retirement benefits in cash and kind up to N2.5 billion, checks by TheCable have revealed.

As part of the package for a retired chief justice, a house will be built for him in Abuja with a nine-digit sum for furnishing — in addition to a severance gratuity that is 300% of his annual basic salary of N3,363,972.50, as well as pension for life.

Just like state governors, a retired chief justice is entitled to a number of domestic staff and sundry allowances for personal upkeep.

This package for judicial officers was put together by the NJC long before Onnoghen became the CJN in 2017.

However, if he is dismissed, he will not be entitled to any benefits.

TheCable reported on Wednesday that the NJC has recommended the embattled CJN for compulsory retirement after deliberating on a petition by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which alleges “financial impropriety, infidelity to the constitution and other economic and financial crimes related laws”.

Onnoghen, who denies all allegations, is also undergoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over charges of false asset declaration.

TheCable understands that members of the NJC were not convinced by his defence but also decided that he should be offered a “soft landing” through retirement.

This option may also include withdrawing criminal charges against him.

“The major problem Onnoghen’s defence had was that even though he claimed those funds found in his accounts were his, he could not provide evidence on how he made the money,” a source in the know of the deliberations told TheCable.

“He provided evidence of source of income from one investment but that went nowhere near the $200,000 per annum deposits in his account. Unfortunately, there is a supreme court judgement that says where your assets exceed your income, the burden of proof is on you, not on the prosecution.

“It also did not help Onnoghen that he never touched his salary account for so many years. He said he was living off the proceeds from his farms, but he did not provide a single proof to back this up.

“Also, money paid into his account by senior lawyers is completely unethical. You can say they do not amount to much, but you cannot justify such impunity. It was a very difficult case to make.”

NOT THAT EASY

Presidency sources, however, told TheCable that the option of “soft landing” will be difficult to justify “given the anti-corruption efforts of President Buhari”.

TheCable learnt that before the scandal blew into the open, Onnoghen was given the option of early voluntary retirement.

“Under this arrangement, he would have kept all the monies found in his accounts and received all his benefits from the system, but he chose to fight till the very end,” the source said.

“The implication now is that the criminal charges may go on, his assets will be frozen and will most likely be forfeited to the federal government after his trial and he will be banned from holding public office for at least 10 years.”

Onnoghen has closed his defence at the CCT and the tribunal is expected to give its judgment at the next sitting on April 15.

But for the crisis, Onnoghen, who is 68, was due for retirement in 2020.

https://www.thecable.ng/exclusive-onnoghen-stands-to-get-n2-5bn-benefits-in-soft-landing-option/amp

The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai’s convoy reportedly foiled an attempted kidnapping of motorists along Kaduna-Abuja road on Wednesday afternoon.

A press statement by the governor’s media aide, Samuel Aruwan, sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday said the governor, who was on his way to Abuja, got to the Akilubu village around 3:40 p.m., sighted dozens of vehicles parked by citizens alarmed that kidnappers were ahead.

”Security operatives in the governor’s convoy advanced and cleared the road of the criminals who fled into the forest.

”After the clearing the road, Governor El-Rufai directed that travellers who had been wounded by the criminals be rushed to the nearest hospital.
”The governor also directed security agencies to intensify patrols and permanently clear the road of the bandits,” the statement added.

Kidnappers have laid siege on the highway for several weeks, abducting many. The bandits have rendered the area a dreaded spot for motorists despite regular raids by security operatives.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/323836-just-in-el-rufais-convoy-foils-kidnapping-along-kaduna-abuja-road-official.html

Two House of Representatives members-elect of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have declared their support for Femi Gbajabiamila who is seeking to become the Speaker of the house.

Wole Oke representing Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency of Osun State and Jerry Alagbaso representing Orlu /Oru East /Orsu Federal Constituency of Imo State said Mr Gbajabiamila was their preferred candidate.

They spoke during an official declaration by Mr Gbajabiamila in Abuja on Sunday.

First to speak was Mr Oke. He described Mr Gbajabiamila as the most qualified for the position.
“Gbajabiamila has been to my house twice to tell me of his ambition. He has honoured me and as a very cultured person, I also have to honour him by attending his declaration.

“When you talk about national interest and issues, I can’t see anybody in the house that is more qualified than Femi Gbajabiamila.

“He’s a lawyer by profession, he understands the house rules, the constitution and can interpret the rules. Asides that, he is a fair-minded person.

“We from the South-west, we are giving you one of our best. I speak here as honourable Wole Oke and honestly, I’ll be with him all through,” he said.

Mr Alagbaso wants the House Leader to carry the opposition along in his bid to become speaker.
He was particular about the interest of the South-east and South-south.

“My dear brother, Femi, is no doubt the most qualified to lead us but he requires consultation. He needs to come and see elders like us.

“After this declaration, we need to see because I have to protect the interest of the Southeast and Southsouth,” he said.

The position of these two lawmakers may not be in tandem with the interest of their party.
Recently, the PDP said its members are allowed constitutionally to contest for leadership positions in the National Assembly.

The party, which has fewer members-elect than the APC, said it could sponsor lawmakers for positions if need be.

Already, about a dozen of the APC members-elect have declared interests in becoming speaker.

He was particular about the interest of the South-east and South-south.

“My dear brother, Femi, is no doubt the most qualified to lead us but he requires consultation. He needs to come and see elders like us.

“After this declaration, we need to see because I have to protect the interest of the Southeast and Southsouth,” he said.

The position of these two lawmakers may not be in tandem with the interest of their party.
Recently, the PDP said its members are allowed constitutionally to contest for leadership positions in the National Assembly.

The party, which has fewer members-elect than the APC, said it could sponsor lawmakers for positions if need be.

Already, about a dozen of the APC members-elect have declared interests in becoming speaker.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/323307-why-were-supporting-gbajabiamila-for-house-speaker-pdp-lawmakers.html

Jibrilla Bindow, Governor of Adamawa State, has conceded defeat and congratulated Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, winner of the 2019 governorship election in the state.

In a state broadcast, a text of which was made available to SaharaReporters, Bindow congratulated Fintiri and wished him a successful term of office.

"In view of the outcome and declaration of the results by INEC, I wish to congratulate the Governor-Elect Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri over his election as the incoming Governor of Adamawa State and wish him successful tenure,” he said.

Bindow expressed committment to democratic norms that would help strengthened democratic practice in the state and country as a whole.

"As a democrat, I cherish democratic norms and values, as it is practised in the civilised world,” he said.

Meanwhile Fintiri has called on fellow contestants to offer their services to his administration in order to move the state forward.

At a press conference to mark his victory, he assured the people of Adamawa that he would respect their mandate and be accountable to them at all times.

Bindow's congratulatory broadcast has put paid to speculations about challenging Fintiri's victory at the tribunal.

http://saharareporters.com/2019/03/29/no-election-petition-adamawa-bindow-concedes-defeat-congratulates-fintiri

A former Minister of Sports and Special Duties, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

While addressing newsmen on Friday in his Ikolaba residence in Ibadan, Adedoja said he had submitted his letter of resignation from PDP to the party’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus.

Adedoja explained that his aligning with the APC at this period of Nigeria’s political dispensation was to contribute his best to the needed unity of Nigeria, having built bridges of unity among various socio-political groups in the country.

“I want to align with the Federal government of Nigeria to contribute to the good governance the country deserves for our people and for my followers across the country,’’ he said.


He said that he had congratulated Makinde to wish him God’s guidance in the newly-onerous task of governing Oyo State.

Adedoja thanked his well-wishers, friends and colleagues across the country, who in the course of his academic, professional and political life in different parts of the country had provided him the needed support and encouragement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adedoja was the governorship candidate of Action Congress (AC) in the 2007 Governorship election in Oyo State.

NAN reports that Adedoja, a former Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, also contested for the post of National Chairman of the PDP at the National Convention of the party in 2017.

He said that he had congratulated Makinde to wish him God’s guidance in the newly-onerous task of governing Oyo State.

Adedoja thanked his well-wishers, friends and colleagues across the country, who in the course of his academic, professional and political life in different parts of the country had provided him the needed support and encouragement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adedoja was the governorship candidate of Action Congress (AC) in the 2007 Governorship election in Oyo State.

NAN reports that Adedoja, a former Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, also contested for the post of National Chairman of the PDP at the National Convention of the party in 2017.

http://thenationonlineng.net/former-sports-minister-adedoja-dumps-pdp-for-apc/

The Adamawa State High Court has dismissed a suit seeking to nullify the governorship election in the state.

The judgment of the court came Friday morning, hours after the state supplementary gubernatorial election was concluded with Umaru Fintiri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) declared winner, having scored the highest votes in both the March 9 main election and the Thursday return.

Giving his judgement on an originating motion filed by the candidate of the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), Rev Eric Theman, the trial judge, Justice Abdulaziz Waziri, said he had no option but to dismiss the motion because the plaintiff submitted documents that were uncertified, and that, more significantly, the plaintiff failed to tender evidence that the logo of his party was omitted from the ballot paper for the March 9 election, as the said ballot paper was not before the court.

The plaintiff, represented by his counsel, Barr Mustapha Ibrahim, had gone before the court to allege that he was deprived the right to be voted for in the March 9 election because the logo of his party was not on the ballot paper even after he had been duly recognised as a gubernatorial candidate.

He asked for an interim injunction stopping the rerun of that election which had been declared inconconlusive. He also asked for a nullification of the March 9 election itself, with a fresh one organised with the logo of his party duly included on the ballot paper.

The court granted his request to suspend the rerun of that election while hearing on the substantive suit continued. But there was a lifting of the injunction against the rerun last Tuesday and the judgement delivered on Friday morning.

Justice Waziri, who awarded no cost to any of the parties, advised that any party wishing to appeal the judgement had 90 days to go to the Yola Division of the Court of Appeal.

http://dailypost.ng/2019/03/29/adamawa-guber-court-dismisses-suit-seeking-nullify-election/

Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he couldn't be happier on his 67th birthday, having watched his party "wallop" the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Tinubu said thus on Thursday during this year's edition of the colloquium held every year in celebration of his birthday.

After thanking Adamas Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the party, and the National Working Committee (NWC) for "working with the leadership of our party to achieve a victory for our party".

We still have the President for second term. We won the National Assembly with resounding majority. Kudos to APC," he said.

"It cannot be great for my birthday if we feel like the other party. But I'm excited because we walloped them, and as the Co-Chairman of the national campaign and party strategists, I commend myself too. Thank you very much, Bola Tinubu."

http://saharareporters.com/2019/03/28/im-happy-my-birthday-because-we-walloped-other-party-says-tinubu

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit challenging the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conclude, collate, and announce the governorship election results from Tafawa Balewa Local Government in Bauchi State.

In his ruling on Monday, the presiding judge Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the suit because according to him, the court lacked jurisdiction on the case.

More to follow…

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/03/25/breaking-court-dismisses-suit-challenging-collation-announcement-of-bauchi-governorship-election-result/

Violence has erupted in the ancient city of Kano, following the declaration of winner in the supplementary governorship election held on Saturday in the state.

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), had on Sunday night announced the incumbent governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as of the governorship election in Kano State, thereby returning him for a second term in office.

However, violence broke out in the state Sunday night, as aggrieved people turned out in large numbers and were desperate to force their way into the state INEC office, but for the timely intervention of the police fired teargas to disperse the crowd of people, who had also positioned themselves in places around some the state INEC office.

The situation became worsened when Professor Bello Balla Shehu, the returning official for the collation of governorship rerun election, declared the governorship candidate the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, as the winner of governorship election.

The teargas fired by the Police to prevent irate youths from gaining entrance into state INEC office made even the journalists, election observers and others to run helter sketter for dear lives.
However, feelers said the irate youths have taken most of major roads in Kano State, and subjecting resident to palpable fear and tension, as many residents of Ssbongari, an area very closed to INEC office, were forced indoors to avoid been attacked

As of the time of filing this report, it was not easy for journalists, observers and a large numbers of people to leave the INEC office to their respective destinations, while many people may be forced to pass night at state INEC office, to avoid been attacked.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the incumbent governor of Kano State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, as winner of the just concluded governorship re-run election in the state.

Declaring the winner of the election, the governorship election Collation Officer in Kano, Prof. Bello Shehu, said that the APC candidate garnered 1,033,695, while that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abba Kabir scored 1,024,713 votes.

He said that the APC candidate defeated the PDP candidate with 8,982 votes margin and therefore declared Ganduje the winner having satisfied requirements of the law by scoring the highest number of votes.

According to Shehu, the winner was declared after the collation of result from all the affected 28 local government areas where the supplementary elections was conducted on Saturday March 23.

He said Ganduje polled a total of 45,876 while Kabir of the PDP got 10,239 votes during the last Saturday’s supplementary elections in 28 local government areas of the state.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the governorship election was earlier declared inconclusive following the high number of cancellation of votes as a result of violence and overvoting.
According to the collation officer, the total number of votes cancelled during the earlier election which led to the declaration of the poll as inconclusive was beyond the margin between the PDP candidate who was leading with 26,000 votes and that of the APC candidate.

Kabir had 1,014,474 against Ganduje who garnnered 987,819 votes in the March 9 election.
NAN further recalled that the votes cancelled during the March 9 governorship election was 128,572 votes.

Meanwhile, the state’s PDP Chairman, Alhaji Suleiman Rabiu – Bichi, had rejected the entire re-run election, especially that of Gama in Nassarawa Local Government Area.

The PDP Chairman further described the election processes as shameful and called for the immediate cancellation of the exercise.

According to him, the party will not accept the result, therefore refused to sign it.

https://www.tribuneonlineng.com/198144/

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has said he is heading to the Appeal Court following the verdict by a tribunal in Osun, upturning his victory at the state’s governorship election.

This is according to a statement by Mr. Wole Oyebamiji, secretary to the State Government of Osun.

In its statement, the Osun State Government informed the people that the judgment of the election tribunal has been put on appeal.

The Government assured the people of Osun that justice will prevail at last, and that the law enforcement agencies have been instructed to maintain law and order across the State.

The Osun Government in its communique appreciated the support of the majority of the people “in all things essential for mutual progress”.

It further assured all the residents of the state of adequate security of lives and properties, noting that the Government of the State is still the only legitimate government having the authority to govern Osun.

Residents of the state were urged to go about their lawful duties without any hindrance.

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/03/22/governor-oyetola-heads-to-appeal-court-following-defeat-at-osun-tribunal/

A civil Rights group, Our Mumu Don Do Movement has sacked Co-convener, Charlyboy over allegations of receiving money from President Muhammadu Buhari’s Campaign Director, Festus Keyamo to attack Atiku Abubakar.

DAILY POST reported a video on Friday which had Charlyboy confessing to have collected money from Keyamo to promote his song which was against Atiku Abubakar. http://dailypost.ng/2019/03/22/keyamo-allegedly-paid-millions-attack-atiku-charlyboy-video/

But in a swift reaction, the movement in a statement sent to DAILY POST issued Charlyboy 24 hours ultimatum to resign as the co-covener of ‘Our Mumu Don Do’

The statement reads: “Following an Emergency General Meeting which held today, 22 March 2019, to address the slew of scandalous materials attributed to you, and your subsequent public avowal to have engaged in amoral pecuniary dealings with the spokesperson of General Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Festus Keyamo, whom the OurMumuDonDo Movement has been publicly and completely critical of, the management of the OurMumuDonDo Movement, in a bid to save the movement from public ridicule, unfortunate collapse and also reinstate public confidence, has decided on the following:

1. That your amoral and illicit dealing with the oppressors during a period when one of our fearless comrades, Deji Adeyanju, was banished to a hellish hole in Kano State for his fearless criticisms of the oppressors, represent a flagrant violation of the Foundation’s moral, ideological and constitutional focus.

2. That your unscrupulous hamartia has not only affected the credibility of the OurMumuDonDo Movement but also the myriads of conscientious and genuine Activists, Right Groups and Civil Society Groups in Nigeria.


3. That we have come to the doleful conclusion that you step aside as a Trustee of the Foundation and as the Convener of the OurMumuDonDo Movement within 24hours starting from the moment you receive this letter today, 22 March 2019. Failure to comply with this recommendation shall leave us with no other option but to ask members of the public to cease any further dealing and interface with you, and we shall not hesitate to take all necessary lawful steps to ventilate our remonstrance and ensure that the credibility of this Foundation is protected.

“We must mention that this decision is not borne out of any personal vendetta but rather a fervent commitment to salvage the OurMumuDonDo Movement from public ridicule and imminent collapse.Your honorable compliance will be highly welcomed.”

http://dailypost.ng/2019/03/22/charlyboy-sacked-mumu-don-movement-admitting-bribery-allegation/

…36 polling units, 29 wards in 15 LGAs affected

Armstrong Bakam, Bauchi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has released the schedule for the supplementary elections which will hold in Bauchi State on Saturday, 23rd March, 2019.


The schedule, obtained from the INEC office in Bauchi State, indicated that the re-run will hold in 36 Polling Units in 29 Registration Areas (wards) scattered across 15 of the 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State.

It further showed that a total of 22, 641 registered voters are expected to participate in the exercise.

Recall that the Returning Officer of the elections in Bauchi State, Prof. Kyari Mohammed, had, early hours of Monday, 11th March, 2019, declared the Governorship election in the state as inconclusive.

According to him, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Sen. Bala Mohammed got 469, 512 votes to lead his closest rival, the incumbent Governor, Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress, who got 465, 453 votes.

He said that because the margin of lead between the two candidates is 4, 059 votes, having earlier cancelled the entire votes of one of the three Local Government Areas Speaker Yakubu Dogara represents in the House of Representatives, Tafawa Balewa, which has 139, 240 registered voters, a winner cannot be announced.

Mohammed who said that the number of cancelled votes in the elections even without that of Tafawa Balewa LGA is 45, 312, therefore declared that based on Section 26 (53) of the Electoral Act, the elections in Bauchi State is inconclusive, and directed INEC to conduct re-run elections in the affected LGAs within 21 days.

But an investigative committee led by the National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, sent from the INEC Headquarters, Festus Okoye, during its three days assignment in the state, discovered that the cancelled votes in Ningi LGA were 2, 533 and not 25, 330 during the collation.

The INEC Headquarters, following the recommendation of the Okoye-led Committee, directed that the error of the 22, 797 cancelled votes in the LGA be corrected and deducted from the 45, 240 votes earlier announced.

The breakdown of the areas affected and the number of registered voters according to the document, showed that:
Alkaleri -1 ward – 1 – PU – 1,190 reg. voters

Bogoro – 1 ward – 1 – PU – 1,130 reg. voters

Darazo – 3 wards- 4 PUs – 2,746 reg. voters

Dass – 1 ward – 1 PU – 872 reg. voters

Gamawa 1 ward – 1 PU – 405 reg. voters

Ganjuwa 2wards -2PUs – 1,306 reg. voters

Giade – 4 wards – 4PUs -1, 899 reg. voters

Itas Gadau 1ward-3PUs – 2,252 reg. voters

Jama’are 2wards – 2PUs – 829 reg. voters

Katagum 2 wards -3PUs – 2,055 reg. voters

Kirfi – 2 wards 2PUs – 1,111 reg. voters

Misau – 1 ward – 1 PU – 1, 007 reg. voters

Ningi – 4 wards – 5PUs – 2, 533 reg. voters

Shira – 1 ward – 1 PU – 438 reg. voters

Toro – 3 wards – 4PUs – 2, 868 reg. voters

https://punchng.com/supplementary-polls-22-641-persons-expected-to-vote-in-bauchi/

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said he offers free service at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) contrary to a report that he earned N40,000 as a NOUN lecturer.

This followed a report (not in Daily Trust) which quoted the NOUN Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdalla Adam, to have said the former President was placed on N40,000 pay for his service at the institution.

In a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abeokuta by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo demanded retraction and apology from the VC, while describing his reported position as “embarrassing, uncharitable, mischievous and in bad taste”.

He referred the VC to his letter dated 12 April 2018, which was written to the University Registrar, Mr. Felix Edoka, when the Council offered him a Part-Time appointment as an Instructional/Tutorial Facilitator and Project Supervisor in the Faculty of Arts at the Abeokuta Study Centre.

The former President said he specifically stated in the letter addressed to the Registrar that he would undertake the responsibility pro bono (free service).

According to him, he has not received any dime either as salaries or otherwise from the University and not planning for such now or forever.

The statement reads: “Ordinarily, this will have been unnecessary exercise, if it has been the usual shenanigans of the media to sell their newspapers, but, the very clear quotation of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Abdalla Adam on the headline made this clarification imperative and to set the records straight on His Excellency’s engagement with the University.

“In putting the records in right perspective, His Excellency wish to draw the attention of the Vice-Chancellor to his letter dated 12 April 2018, which was written to the University Registrar, Mr. Felix Edoka, when the Council offered him a Part-Time appointment as an Instructional/Tutorial Facilitator and Project Supervisor in the Faculty of Arts at the Abeokuta Study Centre.

“Specifically in Paragraph 3 of the letter, President Obasanjo wrote: ‘I will gladly undertake any of the functions mentioned in paragraph two of your letter pro bono and I hope that the functions will be flexible enough to accommodate my rather tight schedule.’

“The former President affirmed that he has not received any dime either as salaries or otherwise from the University and not planning for such now or forever, as stated in his letter that the appointment was received with “pleasure and duty to give back to others out of what God and NOUN have given me.”

“The publication, which has generated mixed reactions from the general public and calls from far and near on the Elder statesman expressing concern, is to say the least, embarrassing, uncharitable, mischievous and in bad taste, with immediate demand for a retraction and apology from the Office of the Vice Chancellor.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/obasanjo-slams-noun-vc-says-i-offer-free-service.html

The Nigerian Army says its personnel killed many Boko Haram insurgents during an encounter on Monday in Adamawa State, north-east Nigeria.

Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, confirmed the incident in a statement a day after it took place.

Channels Television had reported that the insurgents invaded the administrative headquarters of Michika Local Government Area of the state.

According to witnesses, the attackers came into Michika from the Shuwa axis and started shooting sporadically, causing the residents to scamper for safety.

But the army affirmed that the insurgents were resisted from invading the town by soldiers who received a distress call from local vigilantes.

Colonel Musa, “Boko Haram terrorists met their Waterloo and suffered heavy casualties yesterday evening the 18th of March 2019 when they attempted to infiltrate Michika in Adamawa State.

“At about 7:20 pm, gallant troops of 115 Task Force Battalion deployed at Lassa in Borno State received a distress call from vigilantes at Maikadiri village on movement of suspected Boko Haram terrorists along Road Maikadiri – Shuwari en route Michika.”

He explained that the troops immediately organised blocking positions and swooped on the terrorists which led to an exchange of fire.

The army spokesman added the terrorists attempted to escape but were intercepted and suppressed with a heavy volume of fire.

“Consequently, the troops with reinforcement from 143 Battalion Gulak engaged the terrorists on Two Front Coordinated Attacks.

“The BHTs were completely routed by the troops, neutralising many of them, while others fled in disarray due to superior firepower,” he said.

Colonel Musa said that following the incident, the insurgents “hastily evacuated most of their corpses under the cover of darkness”.

He said the troops recovered some items such as vehicles loaded with foodstuffs and a motorcycle from the insurgents.

The army spokesman said the entire area has been dominated by soldiers while the situation was under control.

He added that calm has since returned to the town and urged the residents to go about their normal businesses as well as report the presence of strange faces in their localities.


https://www.channelstv.com/2019/03/19/adamawa-attack-many-boko-haram-insurgents-killed-says-army/

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the governorship supplementary election scheduled for March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of Adamawa state.

Mr Kasim Gaidam, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Yola.

Gaidam said the election would be conducted in 29 Wards (Registration Areas) and 44 Polling Units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled in the recent governorship selection.

“The Commission had prepared for the Supplementary Governorship election in the state. The election is going to be conducted in 14 LGAs, 29 Wards and 44 Polling Units spread across the state,” Gaidam said.

He listed the local areas to include: Yola South, Fufore, Ganye, Girei, Guyuk and Hong.

Other are: Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo local government areas.

Gaidam, however, explained that the election was declared inconclusive as provided for in law, based only on official registered voters, not Permanent Voter Cards collected or accredited voters.

He said: “Other figures being circulated should be disregarded as only report released by the Returning Officer should be considered.”

Recall that the results of the governorship election announced by the INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Andrew Haruna show that the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri scored 367,472 votes, while a total of 334,995 votes were scored by incumbent governor, Muhammad Bindow, the APC candidate.

The margin between them was 32,476 votes.

https://www.independent.ng/adamawa-rerun-inec-gives-update-on-supplementary-governorship-election/

The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Diran Odeyemi, has said the party will challenge the results of the governorship poll in states where the party lost at the Election Petitions Tribunal.

The PDP chief, who spoke in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday, also said the national body would support the governorship candidates during their legal battles.


Odeyemi said, “There is no doubt about that. We are going to the tribunal to challenge the results of the elections where we believe we have been rigged out. If we are challenging the presidential election at the tribunal, rest assured that we will challenge the governorship election because we know that we have been rigged out in many states.

“We are still collating the results from all the states. As soon as we finish collating them, we will head for the tribunal.

He added, “The national body has never abandoned anybody. They have always contributed to the electoral success and they are not abandoning anybody. That is why national officers are spread all over the country, so there is no national officer in any state that has not been reporting to the national office and the national office knows what is happening in all the states.”

Meanwhile, no fewer than eight candidates who lost the governorship election in their respective states have also expressed their readiness to approach election petitions tribunal to challenge the results of the election.

In Ogun State, for example, the candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, Adekunle Akinlade, rejected the result declared by INEC, due to what he described as manipulation, saying he would go to tribunal.

The Labour Party in the state has said it will also go to the tribunal over its exclusion from the ballot paper for the governorship election.

In Lagos State, the candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Chief Owolabi Silas, has rejected the result of the election, saying he will seek redress at the tribunal. He alleged that the APC colluded with INEC to manipulate the result of the election.

In Akwa Ibom State, the candidate of the APC in the election, Nsima Ekere, said he would go to the tribunal to challenge the victory of the ruling PDP in the state. He claimed that he won in 26 out of 31 local government areas in the state.

“We have evidence and we will use appropriate legal means to reclaim the mandate. I urge you all to remain calm,” he added.

In Ebonyi State, the candidate of the APC in the election, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, who had earlier rejected the results of the exercise and called for its cancellation, said he would go to the tribunal.

In Kwara State, the candidate of the Alternative Party of Nigeria, Mohammed Abubakar, said he would file his petition before the tribunal within one week to challenge the omission of his party’s logo on the ballot paper.

He said he had petitioned the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, over the incident. On the other hand, the PDP Chairman in the state, Kolawole Shittu, said the legal team of the party was still reviewing the results.

In Cross River State, the candidate of the Young Democratic Party, Mr Emmanuel Undie, said he would go to the tribunal, alleging that the level of irregularities and rigging thwarted the will of the people.

Meanwhile, the APC Publicity Secretary in Delta State, Sylvester Imonina, said the party would go to the tribunal, adding that the party had begun gathering documents that it would use as evidence.

But, in Oyo State, the state chairman of the APC, Chief Akin Oke, said the party was considering going to the tribunal to challenge the victory of the PDP in the election.

https://punchng.com/well-challenge-almost-all-governorship-poll-results-at-tribunal-pdp/

Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano and former Governor of the state, has said the incoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the state will not be able to pay N30, 000 minimum wage to workers as they anticipate to inherit an empty treasury from Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje's administration.

Kwankwaso, who addressed a group of Kwankwassiyya supporters in Kaduna, said the PDP is sure of victory in the supplementary election and will not continue with the payment of N30, 000 minimum wage as promised workers by Ganduje.

“As the leader of the party in Kano, I have directed our Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, not to pay the minimum wage because that is the APC manifesto and we will not take it," Kwanllkwas said.

"Anyway, we will ensure that workers get their salaries on or before the 25th of every month, but what we will not do is to pay the minimum wage."

At the time the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the Kano governorship election inconclusive, PDP’s Yusuf had polled 1,014,474 votes while APC’s Ganduje had 987,819.

However, the margin of 26,655 votes between the two top candidates meant it was impossible for INEC to declare a winner.”

http://saharareporters.com/2019/03/14/kwankwaso-directs-%E2%80%98incoming-pdp-governor%E2%80%99-not-pay-n30000-minimum-wage-kano

Ado-Ekiti – National leader of pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, has hinted that he would be taking a shot at the Nigeria’s most coveted seat in the year 2023.

Fasanmi, a second republic senator, dropped this hint in Ado-Ekiti during the 110th Birthday Anniversary of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, organized by Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG),


The Yoruba leader, however, did not speak much on how he intends to achieve his ambition.

He said: “Today is one of my happiest days in life. Afenifere is one, there is no division. I have served during the era of the late sage in many capacities. And I am happy today, the Yoruba race, is still keeping fate with the progressives. I want to continue to stay with the progressives and never waiver or be intimidation.

“Let me however inform you that I will like run for President in 2023.

His announcement, however, drew much ovation as the audience erupted in loud cheers.

The Afenifere Leader expressed joy that the Yoruba people voted for the progressive party and President Muhammadu Buhari.

With the progressives in power, Fasanmi said Nigeria shall have a taste of good governance.


https://www.independent.ng/breaking-94-yr-old-afenifere-leader-fasanmi-to-run-for-presidency-in-2023/amp/

Ahead of the Saturday governorship and house of assembly elections, Tukur Buratai, the chief of army staff, says intelligence gathered has shown that politicians have plans to disrupt the process.

He made this known on Wednesday during a meeting with principal staff officers and commanders of the Nigerian army.

While noting the cases of violence outbreak in some parts during the presidential election, the army chief said his men would be going harder this time on politicians who attempt to interfere with the process.

“Recent security threat assessment and analysis of the coming elections showed that politicians have made plans to use all means available to truncate the peaceful conduct of the elections,” he said.

“There are indications of their intent to take advantage of and to use the farmers/herders crisis, armed political thugs and ethnic militias to perpetrate acts of violence including bombings. Some of them also intend to infiltrate domestic staff of political opponents, employ mercenaries to carry out acts of assassinations, use the social media for smear campaigns, hate speeches and spread fake news in a bid to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections. We must not allow them to succeed.

“Let me reiterate that the NA will enforce all guidelines in support of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure the peaceful conduct of the elections in line with its constitutional roles. I therefore want to remind us all not to rest on our oars. We shall not allow those who are determined to undermine our electoral process to succeed. These forthcoming gubernatorial and state assembly elections are very crucial. These are elections that touch on the interest of the people at the grassroots and could likely be volatile in nature.

“During the course of the recently concluded elections, troops of the Nigerian Army were able to make arrests of persons who perpetrated acts of electoral offences. These suspects have been handed over to the police for prosecution. I want to state, and categorically warn that the Nigerian Army will not tolerate any acts that will undermine national security. This time around we shall be tough on those who plan to rig or disrupt the electoral process.”

In February, President Muhammadu Buhari had given a directive for security operatives to deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers. And while the opposition condemned this, the army had said it would go with the president’s order.

https://www.thecable.ng/my-men-will-be-tough-this-time-buratai-warns-election-riggers/amp

The Oyo State Government has commenced payments of pensions and gratuities of retired primary school teachers as well as local government workers across the state.

The State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney -General, Seun Abimbola, made the disclosure during a news conference in Ibadan, the state capital on Tuesday.

Mr Abimbola said the sum of N1.5 billion had been released for immediate disbursement to retirees across the state, saying such step would be repeated on quarterly basis till the entire debt was settled.

He explained that the decision was part of resolutions reached by a sixteen-member committee set up to resolve the legal impasse between the state government and pensioners which resulted in a consent judgement by the Industrial Court.

Mr Abimbola, who noted that the accumulated arrears had begun since 2008, said government would be committed to gradually offsetting the outstanding arrears while fulfilling its monthly obligations of pension payment to retirees.

He noted that a biometric data capturing of pensioners had also commenced to forestall cases of ghost pensioners and double payment.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Bimbo Kolade, said about 1100 pensioners would benefit from the first tranche of the N1.5 billion.
The commissioner added that the payment covered both the dead and the living.

Bosun Ajuwon, the Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State Chapter, said the councils had agreed to contribute about N750 million on quarterly basis.

He said the contribution would be used for continuous payment of pensioners apart from the N1.5 billion which was being paid currently.

Olusegun Abatan, Secretary, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) and beneficiaries, expressed appreciation to the state government and the 16-member committee that resolved the impasse.
The committee set up to resolve the crisis between pensioners and the state government was headed by Bashiru Olanrewaju, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
(NAN)

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/317685-oyo-releases-n1-5bn-for-gratuity-pension-payment-to-retirees.html

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has inaugurated his legal team to challenge the result of the just concluded presidential election.

According to a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, the team inaugurated on Saturday is headed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Livy Uzoukwu.

“I have just inaugurated my legal team and charged them with the responsibility of ensuring that our stolen mandate is retrieved,” Atiku was quoted as saying in the statement.

He added, “I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench.

“The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably is once again being called upon to deliver judgement on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the election on Wednesday, having polled the highest number of votes in the poll.

In his reaction, Atiku rejected the result, alleging several malpractices including the use of the military to perfect voters’ intimidation and suppression in PDP strongholds.

He had also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of conniving with INEC officials and security agents to fabricate “bogus figures and outright falsification of the returns from the polling units”.

The PDP candidate, thereafter, said he would use all available legitimate means to challenge the result of the election.

On Thursday, he met with members of the National Peace Committee lead by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).

Atiku assured Nigerians that sooner than later, the dispensers of justice would give a judgement which he said would represent “a historic denunciation of electoral fraud and mandate bandit”.

Meanwhile, the former vice president has vowed that he would under no circumstance “mortgage the mandate of Nigerians as freely expressed on the 23rd of February, 2019.”

He raised an alarm of alleged desperate moves to make him concede and congratulate President Buhari.

The PDP presidential candidate also alleged that his son-in-law, and finance director of his group of companies, Babalele Abdullahi, was arrested in Abuja on Saturday, as part of the pressure being mounted on him.

“In a desperate move to have Atiku Abubakar concede and congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at about 8.30am today (Saturday) invaded the Maitama residence of Babalele,” a separate statement by Ibe claimed.

It added, “They were, however, not given access into the house until his lawyers arrived.

“As a law-abiding citizen, Atiku Abubakar recognises the constitutional role of the EFCC and indeed any other agency of the government to carry out investigations, but will not be cowed by any attempt to blackmail him into mortgaging his mandate.”

https://www.channelstv.com/2019/03/02/atiku-inaugurates-legal-team-to-challenge-presidential-election-result/